The Sault Ste. Marie Walk of Fame is a series of markers located on Queen Street in downtown Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, adjacent to the Essar Centre sports arena. The Walk of Fame is a joint project between the city of Sault Ste Marie and its Downtown Association, and honours those from the city or the Algoma District who have made outstanding contributions to the community or have made significant achievements in their chosen field(s) of work. Inductees are added on an annual basis.
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The genesis of the Walk of Fame was City By-Law 2002-193, passed by the Sault Ste. Marie City Council on September 9, 2002. The by-law established a "Walk of Fame Program," to be operated by the city and the Downtown Association with the intent of honouring Sault Ste. Marie natives who have made significant contributions and outstanding achievements. By extension, the Walk was viewed as a means of enhancing tourism in the city and attracting patrons to the Downtown shopping and business district.
The by-law established a committee to select annual inductees and, at the outset, determine a suitable location for the Walk. The 8 committee members are appointed by the City Council for a 3-year term, and include the mayor, two city councilors, two representatives of the Downtown Association, two citizens at large, and one Chamber of Commerce representative.
The by-law also established ground rules for Walk inductees:
Each Walk of Fame inductee is immortalized on a 16-inch granite square, which includes a marble maple leaf displaying the inductee's name and year of induction.
The Walk of Fame markers are embedded in the sidewalk facing Queen Street, in front of the north end of the Essar Centre and the adjacent Memorial Square.
Prospective inductee names were first submitted by the general public in 2003, from which the Walk of Fame Committee selected an inaugural list of 10 inductees. The selections were then tabled until a suitable time and place to launch the Walk of Fame was determined.
The first Walk of Fame induction ceremony took place on September 30, 2006, as part of the Essar Centre's grand opening weekend.[1] In subsequent years, inductee selections have been announced in May or June, with formal induction ceremonies held the following September on the Essar Centre grounds (the 2011 ceremony was held on September 16).[2]
Note: (P) indicates a posthumous induction
| Year of Induction | Honoree | Background |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Roberta Bondar | neurologist, astronaut, and the first Canadian woman in space |
| 2006 | Francis H. Clergue(P) | industrialist and visionary |
| 2006 | Ken Danby | artist |
| 2006 | Ron Francis | NHL player |
| 2006 | Joanie and Gary McGuffin | adventurers, conservationists, and authors |
| 2006 | Ted Nolan | NHL- and junior-level hockey coach |
| 2006 | Kevin Scott | world-record-setting speedskater |
| 2006 | Morley Torgov | author and humourist |
| 2006 | Treble Charger | recording artists |
| 2006 | Jessica Tuomela | Paralympic swimmer |
| 2007 | Phil Esposito | NHL player, executive, and Team Canada 1972 alumnus |
| 2007 | Tony Esposito | NHL player, executive, and Team Canada 1972 alumnus |
| 2007 | Harry Graham(P) | forester and academic |
| 2007 | John Rhodes(P) | broadcaster and politician |
| 2007 | Darren Zack | softball pitcher |
| 2008 | John Barker(P) | local union leader and driving force behind The Sault's Group Health Centre |
| 2008 | Angelo Bumbacco | junior hockey executive and co-founder of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds |
| 2008 | Joni Henson | lyric spinto soprano |
| 2008 | Dr. David Walde | oncologist, cancer treatment pioneer, and hospital fundraiser |
| 2009 | Doreen Hume | Coloratura Soprano soloist |
| 2009 | Edie Kerr(P) | organizer of many curling events, including the 1978 Macdonald Lassies Tournament and 1990 Labatt Brier |
| 2009 | Russ Ramsay(P) | broadcasting executive and MLA for Sault Ste. Marie |
| 2009 | MCpl Scott Vernelli(P) | served in Afghanistan with The Royal Canadian Regiment |
| 2010 | Eric Alessandrini | fundraiser and volunteer |
| 2010 | Dr. Peter Black | neurosurgeon |
| 2010 | Douglas Bradford | artist |
| 2010 | Jo Forman(P) | advocate of secondary school athletics |
| 2011 | Trixie Hardy | Dance instructor and theatrical producer |
| 2011 | Tanya Kim | Television personality (etalk) and philanthropist |
| 2011 | Walter Wallace(P) | Educator, member of the Canadian Forces (49th Field Artillery Regiment, RCA) and humanitarian |